Gabinete de Língua Inglesa

Remedial Work

SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT

Basic Rule. The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb while a plural
subject takes a plural verb. The trick is in knowing whether the subject is singular
or plural. The next trick is recognizing a singular or plural verb.

Hint: Verbs do not form their plurals by adding an s as nouns do. In order to
determine which verb is singular and which one is plural, think of which verb you
would use with he or she and which verb you would use with they.
Example talks, talk
Which one is the singular form? Which word would you use with
he?
We say, "He talks." Therefore, talks is singular. We say, "They
talk."
Therefore, talk is plural.

Rule 1. Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.

Example My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.

Rule 2. Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a singular verb
as in
Examples Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey helps today with stage decorations.

Rule 3. When one of your two subjects is I, put it second and follow it with the singular
verb am.
Example Neither she nor I am going to the festival.

Rule 4. When a singular subject is connected by or or nor to a plural subject, put the plural
subject last and use a plural verb.
Example The book or the magazines are on the shelf.

Rule 5. When a singular and plural subject are connected by either/or or neither/nor put
the plural subject last and use a plural verb.
Example Neither Jenny nor the others are available.

Rule 6. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are
connected by and.
Example A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

Rule 7. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as
well as, besides, or not. Ignore these expressions when determining whether to
use a singular or plural verb.
Examples The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.

Rule 8. The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone,
and somebody are singular and require singular verbs. Do not be misled by what
follows of.
Examples Each of the girls sings well.
Every one of the cakes is gone.
NOTE: Everyone is one word when it means everybody. Every one
is two words when the meaning is each one.

@Marta Gabriel
 Gabinete de Língua Inglesa
Remedial Work

Rule 9. With words that indicate portions—percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all,
none, remainder, etc.—you must look at the noun in your of phrase (object of the
preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object of
the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is
plural, use a plural verb.
Examples Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared.
Pie is the object of the preposition of.
Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared.
Pies is the object of the preposition.
One third of the city is unemployed.
One third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.

Rule 10. When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs.
Examples Neither of them is available to speak right now.
Either of us is capable of doing the job.

Rule 11. The words here and there are never subjects because they are not nouns. In
sentences beginning with here or there, the true subject follows the verb.
Examples There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.

Rule 12. Use a singular verb with sums of money or periods of time.
Examples Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.

Rule 13. Sometimes the pronoun who, that, or which is the subject of the verb in the middle
of the sentence. The pronouns who, that, and which become singular or plural
according to the noun directly in front of them. So if that noun is singular, use a
singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.
Examples Salma is the scientist who write/writes the reports.
The word in front of who is scientist, which is singular. Therefore,
use the singular verb writes.
He is one of the men who does/do the work.
The word in front of who is men, which is plural. Therefore, use the
plural verb do.

Rule 14. Collective nouns such as team and staff may be either singular or plural
depending on their use in the sentence.
Examples The staff is in a meeting.
Staff is acting as a unit here.
The staff are in disagreement about the findings.
The staff are acting as separate individuals in this sentence. The
sentence would read even better like this:
The staff members are in disagreement about the findings.

@Marta Gabriel
 Gabinete de Língua Inglesa
Remedial Work

SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT QUIZ 1

Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice. If the subjects and verbs do not agree,
change the verbs to match the subjects.
1. At the end of the story, they was living happily ever after.
2. Al and Eli go to the beach to surf with their friends.
3. When Al and Eli arrive, they find that their friends has waxed their boards.
4. The group of children from that school has never seen the ocean.
5. If our staff don't quit picking at each other, we will not meet our goals.
6. Either Gary or I are responsible for allocating the funds.
7. Neither she nor they were willing to predict the election results.
8. Nora is one of the candidates who is worthy of my vote.
9. Nora, among all the candidates who is running, is the best.
10. My problem, which is minor in comparison with others, exist because I dropped out of
high school.
11. His dogs, which are kept outside, bark all day long.
12. There's three strawberries left.
13. Here is the reports from yesterday.
14. Some of my goals has yet to be met.
15. All of my goals are being met and surpassed already.
16. None of this is your business.
17. None of them is coming home tonight.
18. One third of the city are experiencing a blackout tonight.
19. One third of the people are suffering.
20. When she talks, we listens.
21. Neither the farmer nor the farmworkers is willing to settle the strike.
22. Neither Darren nor Ida are capable of such a crime.

@Marta Gabriel
 Gabinete de Língua Inglesa
Remedial Work

Quiz 1 Answers
1. At the end of the story, they were living happily ever after.
2. Al and Eli go to the beach to surf with their friends. (CORRECT)
3. When Al and Eli arrive, they find that their friends have waxed their boards.
4. The group of children from that school has never seen the ocean. (CORRECT)
5. If our staff don't quit picking at each other, we will not meet our goals. (CORRECT. OR
If our staff members don't quit picking…)
6. Either Gary or I am responsible for allocating the funds.
7. Neither she nor they were willing to predict the election results. (CORRECT)
8. Nora is one of the candidates who are worthy of my vote.
9. Nora, among all the candidates who are running, is the best.
10. My problem, which is minor in comparison with others, exists because I dropped out of
high school.
11. His dogs, which are kept outside, bark all day long. (CORRECT)
12. There are three strawberries left.
13. Here are the reports from yesterday.
14. Some of my goals have yet to be met.
15. All of my goals are being met and surpassed already. (CORRECT)
16. None of this is your business.(CORRECT)
17. None of them are coming home tonight.
18. One third of the city is experiencing a blackout tonight.
19. One third of the people are suffering. (CORRECT)
20. When she talks, we listen.
21. Neither the farmer nor the farmworkers are willing to settle the strike.
22. Neither Darren nor Ida is capable of such a crime.

@Marta Gabriel
 Gabinete de Língua Inglesa
Remedial Work

SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT QUIZ 2

Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice. If the subjects and verbs do not agree,
change the verbs to match the subjects.
1. The teacher or student is going to appear on stage first.
2. The mother duck, along with all her ducklings, swim so gracefully.
3. Each of those dresses is beautiful.
4. The folder, not the letters, were misplaced.
5. Here is the three doughnuts that you wanted.
6. Five hundred dollars are the price that the dealer is asking.
7. Three fourths of the pies have been eaten.
8. The majority of the state is Republican.
9. A golden retriever is one of those dogs that is always faithful.
10. Every one of the dancers is very limber.
11. The original document, as well as subsequent copies, was lost.
12. Neither the ashtray nor the lamp were on the table.
13. Only forty percent of the eligible voters is going to the polls.
14. Almost all of the newspaper are devoted to advertisements.
15. There are maps hanging on the walls.
16. Here is Shanna and Jessie.
17. The anguish of the victims have gone unnoticed.
18. Taxes on interest is still deferrable.
19. Neither he nor I are going.
20. Is it possible that Jose, as well as his family, are missing?
21. Five dollars are all I have to my name.
22. Neither of the lawyers are willing to take the case.
23. Each of the vacation homes are furnished with pots and pans.

@Marta Gabriel
 Gabinete de Língua Inglesa
Remedial Work

Quiz 2 Answers
1. The teacher or student is going to appear on stage first.(CORRECT)
2. The mother duck, along with all her ducklings, swims so gracefully.
3. Each of those dresses is beautiful. (CORRECT)
4. The folder, not the letters, was misplaced.
5. Here are the three doughnuts that you wanted.
6. Five hundred dollars is the price that the dealer is asking.
7. Three fourths of the pies have been eaten. (CORRECT)
8. The majority of the state is Republican. (CORRECT)
9. A golden retriever is one of those dogs that are always faithful.
10. Every one of the dancers is very limber. (CORRECT)
11. The original document, as well as subsequent copies, was lost. (CORRECT)
12. Neither the ashtray nor the lamp was on the table.
13. Only forty percent of the eligible voters are going to the polls.
14. Almost all of the newspaper is devoted to advertisements.
15. There are maps hanging on the walls. (CORRECT)
16. Here are Shanna and Jessie.
17. The anguish of the victims has gone unnoticed.
18. Taxes on interest are still deferrable.
19. Neither he nor I am going.
20. Is it possible that Jose, as well as his family, is missing?
21. Five dollars is all I have to my name.
22. Neither of the lawyers is willing to take the case.
23. Each of the vacation homes is furnished with pots and pans.

@Marta Gabriel